


Avvar and Shifter

by ShadowArtemis4456



Series: The Tales of the Wolf-mage Lycia [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-09 05:07:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15260061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowArtemis4456/pseuds/ShadowArtemis4456
Summary: Lycia is a shapeshifting mage who favors the wolf form and is a beautiful ebony she-wolf. Cullen's an Avvar warrior who is also a hunter. She was with her "pack" on the hunt for a wanted former member of the Whispering Nightfall Pack and he was hunting with several of his clan-mates to prepare for the coming winter. Their people meet at the border to his Clan's lands as her own ask for permission to cross to continue their hunt, and she makes eye contact with Cullen's alluring golden eyes.I know... I did it...I jumped on the Avvar Cullen bandwagon, but you have to admit he'd be a sexy Avvar. This may just be a minor "fling" into this little area, but if you all like it then I will keep it going.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Italics will be the Avvarian language.

The cry of a falcon echoed throughout the forest, causing a rather large canine-like beast to pause in its tracks and look around as it sniffed the air before looking up as the shadow of the bird flew over its head. But before it could continue on its way a commanding howl from one of its own sounded and looking in the direction of the nearby camp, it huffed with a slight growl and took off towards the camp as several Humans and several more canine-creatures waited for it.

"Where did your sister go off too now?" One of the three asked, his masculine voice betraying his gender as he looked to a much younger man who shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm not her damned keeper. Besides, she's too afraid of the Avvar to go very far from the camp." The younger man huffed as he turned and walked away to go sit by the fire.

"Your sister is not afraid of them, she respects them and will not enter their territory without their permission. You know this as well as I. She still follows the ways of the Pack well." The older man frowned. 

"Especially now that we are even closer to the territory of the Avvar Clan that we made peace with years ago,"  The voice of a woman spoke up as the two men looked to her, "Lycia is wise to respect the Avvar Clans, and it would be wise of you to not dismiss them so easily, Mathelin." The younger man, Mathelin as his name was revealed to be, only huffed in irritation. The call of a Falcon sounded and all of those who were present looked to the sky and watched as the bird flew in circles above the encampment. They watched as it left and the woman spoke once more, "The Avvar will come soon, Adam." She said as the entire encampment remained unaware that the spoken of people were already watching them from the shadows of the forest. 

"This I know, Norbana. Prepare to move camp!" Adam barked out as several people began to do as he commanded. 

 _"These are people from that strange Clan, What are they doing so far from their home?"_ One of the Avvar asked of their own leader as the man looked to his fellow hunter. 

 _"I cannot say, but from their numbers, I would say that they hunt one of their own,"_ he replied as a howl cut through the air and an ebony furred canine, a wolf as his mind told him, came flying out of the shadows of the forest closest to the camp.

"Lycia! Where were you?" The woman spoke as the wolf came to a halt in sight of the Avvar. "Did you find any trace of that Traitor?" When the wolf shook its massive head the woman sighed. "Then he may not have come this way like we believed. Lycia go lay and rest, we have a long journey ahead of us, my daughter, and I would see you well rested." Norbana told the wolf who was revealed to be Lycia, huffed and went away from the camp to curl up and rest as her brother looked on. “Adam your are the Huntmaster here, what will we do?” 

Adam frowned as he scanned the shadows of the forest, “We continue the hunt for another moon, then we will return and join your mate for the hunt for the Wedding. I know neither Mathelin nor Lycia wish to miss their eldest sister’s wedding. Do you Mathelin?” 

“No I do not, Eeva will only marry her mate once. And as her brother, I must do the Challenge to her mate as is my place.” Mathelin smiled as he looked to Lycia who was curled up and lost to them in the world of dreams. 

When the camp was finally torn down, that was when the Avvar made their move. “The Avvar come!” A lookout called as Lycia awoke and stood to join her brother, mother and the Huntmaster as the Avvar finally revealed themselves and began to come forth towards the camp. 

“Be on your guard Lycia,” Adam said as Lycia growled low in response. It was not that they didn’t trust the Avvar, they did but it was the fact that they were in “neutral territory” that had the many shapeshifting Mages, the Hunters and the warriors so uneasy. Lycia felt no threat from the Avvar as none of them reached for their weapons, but as she scanned each one she felt her gaze being pulled to one in particular. As her gaze stopped on him, she noticed things about him that many women, Avvar or not, often noticed about him. His blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, the irises of his eyes looked as if they were made of molten gold, he wore the mane of a lion around his shoulders, he was by far taller then her when she was in human form, his chest was broad and his muscles were tight, showing just how strong he was. What was not seen though, as she soon lost interest in him, was that he had felt her studying him and now studied her. 

Right now her form was simple, she was a she-wolf with ebony fur, eyes that were reminiscent of the bright sky above, but soon she disappeared and returned just as swiftly only this time as a human woman, and now he studied her even closer. Her dirty blonde hair was also pulled back into a ponytail though it was loosely, her eyes were still of the skies color, her skin was as pale as the snow that would soon fall. She wore a simple leather outfit, boots that were knee high, and gloves which covered her hands though they did not impede the grip she had on the seemingly custom-made bladed staff upon her back at that moment. She stood next to the woman who the man assumed to be her mother, and as if she felt his gaze, their eyes locked for a too-brief moment which did not last as soon the Avvar walked away with a few staying to help “guide” these people through their hold’s lands. Once they were far enough away the blonde haired Avvar looked back towards the young woman and he memorized the name that echoed softly in his mind. Lycia. “ _Come, Cullen, we must continue the hunt_.” His leader called out, which forced him to follow. But even as the blonde Avvar, Cullen, followed his leader, one thing was on his mind. Lycia would be his.

****

The hunt for the one they called the traitor lasted another month, and once more the party crossed the Avvar lands from before to return to their own territory, though this time Cullen made no effort to hide the fact that he was watching Lycia closely with peaked interest as she baffled and secretly amazed him at the same time. Sometimes she would be as a wolf, others she would be a woman, but it seemed to him that when he looked over in her direction she be watching him with a gaze that spoke of not only longing but something more. A hunger to touch and know him and when their eyes would meet, he would share that look with her until she would turn away to continue doing whatever she wished. “He is watching you again, my daughter,” Norbana spoke softly one night as Lycia sat with her by the fire. 

“He has been watching me since we arrived to pass through and in turn I watch him.” 

“ _Are you ready to take on a mate?_ ” Mother asked daughter as Lycia turned to look at her, she was speaking in the Avvarian tongue and Lycia responded in kind despite the fact that Lycia's Avvarian was rather limited and, despite being able to fully understand it, she could not speak it in full for some unknown reason. 

“ _I take no mate now, not unless one shows interest in me_.” 

“ _Many strong males vie for your affection now my child, would you deny them?_ ” 

" _They are no true hunters nor are they warriors_ ,” Lycia responded knowing that the Avvar man who was constantly watching her had his interest peaked now. Lycia knew what her mother was getting at but she doubted it would ever truly happen. “ _Until a true worthy male steps forward, challenges my brother, wins, I take no mate_.” She finished as Norbana smiled softly to her youngest daughter, who was now focused on the fire that burned.

"You must work on learning more of the Avvar language child."

"Aye, this I know. I may be able to understand it in full, but speaking it is...difficult for me." 

"Tell me, my child, if that man who watches you so closely was interested in more then just watching you, say as to take you for his bride, would you go with him?"

Lycia looked to her mother, "I would, but we must remember that with the Avvar, things are temporary to where with our kind we mate for life." Lycia looked away as Norbana smiled softly. before Norbana could speak a howl ripped through the air catching everyone's attention. Lycia looked to her mother who nodded and, leaping up, Lycia called forth her magic and raced off with several other mages who took to wolf form. That howl signaled what they had been waiting and looking for: the Traitor's trail had been found, and now they would hound his steps.


	2. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time skipping here to a month later.

Lycia panted as she ran freely through the forest with a small group of other shapeshifting "wolf" mages. they had been running for several hours on end with no breaks and now Lycia was grateful that she favored the wolf form over any of the other animals forms shapeshifting mages like herself could use. She heard another coming up to her left and glanced over to see a silver-colored mage wolf-shifter catching up to her and gave a wolfish grin as she recognized who this wolf was. Lycia gave a bark in greeting to the wolf who huffed happily in return. This week was a very good week, as this week Lycia's eldest sister was to be wed and mated to the son of another "pack" of people who had recently moved into the area between the Frostback Mountains and a place called Redcliffe. Lycia and the wolf-mage next to her came bursting out of the treelines with huffs and growls and continued to run towards their walled "town" where their homes were built from the very ground and trees themselves despite being in a clearing where the treeline was several miles away from the walls of their home. "Welcome back Lycia!" Someone called out as Lycia and the others came racing into the town. Lycia barked in return but continued running as she and the silver-furred wolf raced each other while the others slowed down and shifted back to their human forms, to the surprise of the plate armored warriors (Templars as she remembered they were called), that were visiting, who watched with sudden realization and horror that such mages existed and lived freely among the people of this place. Lycia slowed down only when she came to the main "hall" or more specifically, a longhouse, and shifted back to her human form in front of several Templars whose jaws dropped at the blatant disregard she had about them. 

"Templars. Pah!" Her brother said as she approached. "These "civilized" people barely understand the gift you were born with, and they come to our home expecting us to "convert" to the worship of their god and send you and all our shifter-mages to their "Circles" to be treated like their cattle."

"Brother you know as well as I that father would never allow that," Lycia explained as Mathelin smiled with a laugh as they entered the building which served as both the seat of power for their father, as well as their home. They entered into the longhouse, saw their father sitting proudly atop his seat, but both went up the nearby stairs to watch from above as he spoke with the leader of the "visiting" Templars. "It is almost sad." Lycia frowned as Mathelin looked to her.

"What is?" 

"To their kind," She gestured to the Templar and the man who was a trader, "We are like the Avvar. They see us as barbaric in our nature, but it is not we who have forgotten the ways of old." Lycia leaned her arms on the railing and her brother rested the palms of his hands on the wood as well. "We treat the land like she is our mother, for it is she who provides us with what we need."

"Aye," Mathelin agreed as he watched the words being exchanged between their father and the Trader, "In that perspective to them we _ARE_ almost Avvarian in nature."

"Though we do not live by the will of the gods, like our Avvar allies."

"We do live in Clans like they do."

Lycia smiled and chuckled, "That we do, though we often refer to our clan as a "pack"."

AS they were speaking the Templar and the Trader left but not a few moments later Mathelin looked towards the door as it opened and smiled, "Oh Lycia, look who's here."

"Oh my..." Lycia said with a bit of a breathless arousal as she noted five people, one of whom was the blonde haired Avvar who had been watching her a month ago, walking in.

****

Cullen sat sharping his blade but he was not mentally focused on that task, rather his mind had wandered back to that strange woman whose eyes held the beauty of the Lady's sky in themselves. He was so lost in thought that he did not hear his long-time friend come walking up. "Cullen, it's time to go."

"Very well, Rylen." Cullen nodded to his friend, Rylen, and standing he sheathed his blade and went to his Thane's side, where the man waited with one of the members of that strange woman's clan. As he approached he heard the strange man speaking.

"It is pleasing to see that you are willing to come with several strong warriors without mates already," he told the Thane who smiled.

"The Augur has already spoken with the gods and I am not one to disobey their decision. Tell me why did your clan seek out ours?"

"My youngest sister has finally decided that it is time for her to chose a future mate. Our own Augur, the mother of my siblings and I, has sought the guidance of our goddess and that of the elements and has stated that my sister is wise in choosing your clan. It was seen by our goddess that with my sister joining our clans, the bonds of our clans will strengthen."

"It sounds like your sister is wise beyond her years."

"Aye that she is, she is also a very perceptive woman. But please introduce me to the warriors who you will bring with you for my sister to choose from." With that, the Thane introduced each man in turn and the stranger nodded at each one. "I am Chunta, firstborn of Chaska who is Thane of the Whispering Nightfall Clan, and I am the eldest brother to Lycia who you will be meeting when we arrive at my Clan's hold. I am also the one who, should my sister chose one of you, challenge the one that she has chosen to see if you are worthy of her." Soon they left the hold and began the journey to the lands of the Whispering Nightfall Pack, where Cullen knew Lycia waited for him. He knew he had no right to say that she was his at this time but something told him that they were meant to claim each other. As they rode towards the Pack's lands, Cullen and the other four males listened closely to Chunta who was explaining the customs that would decide the marriage date of Lycia to her potential mate. They listened as he explained how it was acceptable for the male to ask her to join him on a hunt, how it was expected of her to turn down the first but every offer after was up to her to either accept or decline as she pleased. Chunta also explained how it was acceptable for Lycia's future mate to steal her affections at any time of day, by the time he was finished they were approaching his home and they heard growls and watched as Lycia and a silver-furred wolf came racing out of the forest with several others close behind. They watched as the wolves went racing into the town, some shifting back as they entered with Only Lycia and the silver wolf remaining that way until they approached what Cullen assumed to be the seat for their Thane. He watched as Lycia shifted back swiftly and continued to approach the building and started talking with her other brother. Eventually, she and her other brother vanished within the building. Chunta and the Avvar entered and were greeted warmly but they were stopped by Norbana who was waiting for them; she greeted them respectfully and discussed somethings with them but soon turned to her eldest with a tired look. 

"Chunta, when you have the chance, speak with Lycia. This past week has not been easy on her, the other hunters or even the Huntmaster and with the first snowfall to be expected any day I fear this winter will be even less so."

"Of course mother. What was Eeva doing with her as we arrived?"

"Trying her hand at easing your sister's mood. It helped a little but I am afraid that it will sour again soon. 

"Then I will find go find Lycia now. Is she inside?" He asked looking to the building looming before them. At the nod of the older woman, he dismissed himself and went to go seek out Lycia as his mother lead the Avvar inside the building. 

"Why do you allow Lowlanders entrance to your hold?" Cullen's thane asked as Norbana sighed. 

"They came for the one we call Traitor. But their leader asked to speak with my mate regarding Lycia for they believe that she is dangerous."

"You do not believe as they?" 

"No. I know my daughter. She has no fear when it comes to using her goddess-given gift, but come I am sure you wish to speak with my mate. He will be pleased to meet all of you." With that they watched the "lowlanders" leave the building as well as the hold with a person snarling and shouting like a wildcat caught in a trap, and soon made their entrance and the moment they did Cullen felt sky colored eyes set upon him and barely heard her voice as she spoke in the language completely unknown to him but the arousal was there and that was all he needed. She had already chosen.


	3. Two

Lycia sniffed at the ground, her breath coming out in puffs of white clouds as she walked along the path now covered in a blanket of fluffy snow, which was only growing deeper since said snow started to fall once more. Looking up at the sound of approaching feet, Lycia saw Chunta looking around before he turned his attention to her. Shaking his head she knew that tonight, in this darkness without the light of the moons, the hunt would not be successful and so raising her head and folding her ears back, Lycia howled to the others calling them back to their home. Several howls went up in response, and Lycia turned to her brother who nodded, "Lycia, I wish to speak with you a moment." Nodding, Lycia shifted to human and walked up to him. "How does it feel?" He asked as she looked towards him.

"How does what feel?"

"To have four Avvar men vying for your affections?"

"It is different to say in the least," She told him as they slowly made their way back to their home. "To have met them is another story completely."

"Tell me, have you decided on which one?"

"The one with hair as bright as the sun and eyes like molten gold." 

"Cullen?" Chunta stopped in his tracks, forcing her to pause as well to look back at him. "Why him?"

"Why not him?" Lycia retorted as Chunta frowned.

"You can have any the four Avvar warriors that the Thane of their clan brought, what makes you want him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She questioned in return as her brother thought it over silently. They continued on their path in silence that was broken only by the sound of the snow under their feet. Suddenly Lycia broke the silence and her brother looked to her, "I fear that something 's about to happen."

Chunta frowned, Lycia had always been very intuitive and often more than not her feelings were correct. "When it does, you will know that we will fight-!" He told her as they stopped and looked around. "Why do I smell a fire?" He asked as Lycia looked to him before taking off, making sure to shift forms as he whistled for his horse. As she ran Lycia howled for the others who responded with the same alarmed sound in their voices. The closer to the smell they grew, the higher Lycia's hackled rose until finally, they were fully on end as she and Chunta came to a spot where they spied their home blazing. With another howl, Lycia called to all those who had been out on the hunt, with her howl telling them what was happening and soon Chunta sounded the warhorn he kept at his side. What none of them knew was that Cullen and some of the other Avvar had spotted the rising smoke from their own encampment near the border of their hold, closest to Lycia's pack territory, and each wondered what was happening until Lycia's angered howl and the warhorn had sounded, and then it hit them: Lycia's Clan was under attack and Lycia and her brother as well the whatever hunting party had been out where racing back to their home with a vengeance to kill any attackers.

****

"Why are you doing this?" Norbana asked as she knelt beside her husband who was holding his wounded side while a snarl was etched onto his face as he glared fiercely at the leader of the attack, The leader was a young man with dark hair and moss colored eyes while his skin was tanned from his few years of training in the sun's blazing heat. 

"Because your "pack" is in my way. My father may have been a passive old bastard and not willing to take what is rightfully ours from you, but I am not like him." The leader spoke, his dark hair glistening in the fire as he watched Norbana and her mate looking at him. "And without your strongest members, you're so easy to take-!" He looked towards the sound of howling and a warhorn and growled. _How did they find out?_ He wondered as his gaze turned to Chaska who was laughing. 

"You underestimate my children, Hyeir, and you will pay for that mistake with your life," Chaska smiled as he met the younger man's mossy colored eye. 

"I underestimated no one, they will not return in time to save you or your mate!" Hyeir lunged forward and thrust his sword into Chaska's heart but after he yanked it out, he turned to bring the blade down onto Norbana only to suddenly be plowed into by Lycia who gave the wolven version of a roar. She shifted back to human form and brought her fist down hard onto Hyeir's face before he kicked her off, send her through the air. 

"You!" Lycia snarled at him as she stood, "You will pay dearly for killing my father!" She growled as she gathered up her magic. If this had been any other time, Lycia would have reveled in the feeling of her power arching along her arms as she mixed together the primal magic of fire and the power of lightning.

"As if mage bitch," Hyeir growled as he stood. His blade glistened red with blood as the fire burned around them. 

"Mother, go find Chunta and Mathelin. I can handle this nimrod." Lycia told Norbana who frowned but did as her daughter said. Hyeir snickered before he lunged and Lycia threw her spell at him. As these two dueled it out, one with sword while the other used spell and bladed staff they missed the shouts of warriors as voiced called out that the Avvar had arrived. Lycia felt the tip of Hyeir's blade cut along her nose and cheek, but she hit him hard with a spell which earned her a retaliated kick to the stomach and she went rolling as she landed on the ground. As she managed to get onto her hand and knees, she heard Hyeir's blade coming towards her but it collided with the sound of a shield and Lycia looked up to see Cullen defending her much to her, and Hyeir's, surprise. Cullen and Hyeir began to clash, and the Avvar proved the superior as he swiftly ended the battle while Lycia went to stand. Lycia shook her head then felt Cullen hoisting her into his arms and looked to him with surprise. _"I can walk,"_ She told him but he only shook his head.

 _"You've used a lot of your gift and are wounded, let me carry you to your family."_ He told her as she sighed but gave in to his request as she looked to her side where his golden eyes had fallen to briefly. 

 _How did that bastard land a blow there?_ Lycia questioned to herself as she looked around while Cullen carried her. As he walked she saw the fires being swiftly put out but stopped Cullen who looked at her confused as he put her down. "Habenaria!" She called out to another wolf-mage who came walking up they nodded and after Lycia had been handed and drank a blue potion they pooled their magic together and sent it skyward with a plea for the goddess to aid in ending the fire. 

"The goddess favors us," Habenaria said as Lycia nodded before feeling Cullen pick her back up as the rain started to come down hard. He carried her to where Chunta, Mathelin, and Norbana waited with Cullen's Thane and several of Cullen's tribesmen. 

"Sister!" Mathelin said as he looked her over as Cullen set her down, though the Avvarian stood behind her just in case she would fall. "Goddess's hairy titties! _You're covered in wounds!_ " he said that very last part in the Avvar tongue to which Lycia replied. 

 _"Future scars to remind me that I have fought and lived while my opponent did not,"_ Lycia told him as her eldest brother came walking over to her. He scanned her for a short few moments, then looked to Cullen who remained right behind his younger sister before turning to the Thane.

" _Thane Asmund, I and my family are grateful for you and your warriors' timely arrival. We owe you not only our very lives but a gratitude that we may never be able to repay._ " The Thane looked to Chunta and nodded.

 _"Chunta, my son,"_ Norbana stepped forward at that moment and all eyes turned to her, _"With your father's death, his spirit has fled this plane and has reunited with the Goddess's embrace. We must see to not only his funeral but to the funeral of the others who have fallen to our enemies as well. You are Alpha now, as is your birthright."_

Thane Asmund spoke now, _"We will remain and help you with what we can. However,"_ His gaze along with the others turned to see Cullen and Lycia smiling at each other signaling that she had finally thanked him for his timely rescue. _"I see that your sister has chosen her mate?"_

 _"Aye that she has,"_ Chunta smiled. _"We should plan for the wedding to happen when there is more for the hunters to be able to gather. But that can be planned out later, for now, the dead must be seen too."_

 _"I agree."_ And with those words from the Thane, both groups set about seeing to the dead. 


	4. Three

Lycia and her family stood near one another as everyone from the Whispering Nightfall Pack, and those Avvar who had come with Cullen and his Thane, all stood near the blazing pyre of Lycia's father. Norbana had said the words that would speed his journey to the Goddess, Chunta had said something, as had Mathelin, but Lycia had said nothing as she lowered her head, she was in wolf form so really she couldn't say anything. She felt nothing but shame at the fact that she had been unable to save her father, she felt Mathelin nudge her with a knee and, raising her head skyward, Lycia began to howl with several other wolf-mages joining her. The song they sang told of his life: his prowess in battle, his joy, his sorrows, and many other things. They sang his Lifesong to the sky in the hopes that the gods and goddesses, as well as their beloved Goddess, would accept his soul. Once the song was finished, Lycia and the other wolf-mages turned away and slowly began to vanish from sight, with only Lycia looking back before heading to the longhouse. Thanks to the magic her mother and the other older mages had worked into the wood of not only the longhouse but also the other homes, her people still had places to sleep. The Avvar were welcome to rest in the longhouse as the opposite end of the build held the “guest rooms” but right now Lycia went to her own room and lay on her rather comfortable “nest-bed” still in her wolf form. She would shift back while she slept as it was something she tended to do, but as the night waned on a pair of strong arms pulled her close and she looked up to see Cullen pulling her into his embrace, which she accepted. She did not cry for she would not allow herself too, but she would allow him to hold her close for a short time. She fell back to sleep in his protective arms but found herself waking to a room empty of anyone but herself as the predawn hours approached. Standing, Lycia stretched out her arms and back then took to wolf form to stretch out her legs. She returned to human form, gingerly left her room and looked around the main hall below. Pleased to see that she was the first to awaken, she went down and began to prepare ingredients for the morning meal. She herself would eat lightly as she could not hunt on a stomach that was too full. After she had set everything out, she turned and left the building to meet with the others who would go on this hunt. Lycia as a child had found it odd that after the death of someone or many, they would return to doing the usual business, but now as an adult, she understood what she had not been able to as a child: Life moved on. They would mourn in their own way in their own time but now was not that time. Several wolf-mages yawned in their wolf-forms, Lycia spoke with the hunters who were going with and soon after taking to her own wolf, they set out to check the traps and search for any signs of their usual prey.

By the time the sun had risen, Lycia and the hunting party were returning with a few rabbits, some fish from the river, and a big game animal. But in Lycia’s jaws was an injured fennec fox, who she was carrying very carefully into the midst of her people. She approached one of the animal healers and the man took the fox carefully from Lycia. Lycia turned and headed back to the longhouse in human form but the moment she entered she saw Chunta talking with Asmund and nodded to them before heading up to her room to lay down for a while. 

“ _She is one of our better hunters, she and a group go out before any others are awake, check for the prey we hunt, then return and sleep until the afternoon,_ ” Chunta told Asmund who was watching her with interest. “ _This has been our way for many generations._ ” She heard Chunta tell the Avvar Thane but the moment she was in her room and her head had hit her pillow, she was lost to them as she entered the world of dreams.

She startled awake suddenly, shifted forms and returned to laying on her bed with her head resting between her paws while her back legs were stretched out to the right with her tail resting on her back legs as well; but it was while she was sleeping that the nightmare came and she felt her heart racing as she ran from whatever was chasing her.

_"You failed him," A voice in the dream began to taunt her. "You failed your own father, and now you will fail them as well." Lycia yelped as she felt something trip her up and caused her to fall into something akin to water, but the taste that entered her mouth was that unmistakable coppery taste of blood. As she tried to keep her head above the water (or was it blood?), Lycia heard the voice again and recognized that it was masculine in its nature. "Did you even try to save him? Or did your weakness of being too slow stop you?" the voice sneered as Lycia made it out of the liquid and began running again after shaking her fur out which was sticky and wet with whatever she had been swimming in, but this time she ran along solid stone ground. She parted her jaws and began panting as she ran, her ears were folded back against her head and she looked back only to see what looked to be like bloody paw prints being left behind by her own paws. But then she saw it, something was chasing her and now she ran for her life.  Suddenly Lycia found herself in a forest and began to slow as she came upon a large boulder that she leapt up onto. Stopping near the edge she looked around as a new voice, this one feminine and gentle in its nature spoke._

_"Be at peace, my child. The nightmares cannot hurt you for they are nothing..." Lycia looked around, her ears swiveling as she searched for the source of the voice. "Come to me, daughter of the wolves." It urged her as Lycia hopped off the boulder and went running in the direction she heard it calling to her from. Suddenly Lycia knew what forest this was and felt calmer as she ran, and slowed her pace as she felt no hurry being needed from her as she ran. "I have seen your nightmares, your dreams, your hopes, and your fears..." The voice spoke up again as she ran. "I have seen what you have seen. I have hunted and run beside you since you were just a pup." The voice was so gentle that Lycia wondered who was speaking to her as she ran. "I have watched over your clan for many generations for it was I who gifted your clan with the blessing you were born with." As Lycia came out of the forest, she slowed her pace to a trot before slowing to a walk as she looked around the field of high grass that bent before her paws and brushed through her fur like her mother's fingers. Shaking her head, Lycia continued to stalk through the grass until she came to an area where the grass wasn't so high. "Come to me child," The voice came from partway to her left and Lycia's sky-colored gazed turned to see a woman with hair the color of a starless night yet was tipped with silver, eyes a beautiful frosty blue, skin as pale as the snow and a hand was outstretched towards Lycia who walked cautiously to the woman who was now smiling at her. "Greetings Lycia, child of the wolf-mages of old, daughter of the Whispering Nightfall Pack," Lycia stepped forward and the woman began to pet Lycia. "I am Kolena, I am your beloved goddess and I have called you here for a reason..."_

****

Lycia sat on a flat-topped boulder with one leg tucked under the other as the other leg swung slowly back and forth. The day was beautiful and despite how cold it was due to the chill of winter, Lyica found herself sitting on this boulder. She felt a pair of eyes watching her, but she knew who the eyes belonged to and so for the moment ignored the gaze. She would let him come to her. "Do you not fear?" His voice sounded as he finally made his way towards her, the hard-packed snow crunching under his weight as he did.

"I fear, but I have no reason to fear the one who I have chosen as my mate," She responded as he watched her for a moment. She was looking out over the snowy landscape, and while he considered it beautiful, it was nowhere near the beauty his future mate held. 

“What do you think of?” He asked her softly as she closed her eyes. 

“I worry for my family. For my Clan,” she replied as he finally sat down next to her. Her leg was still absentmindedly swinging back and forth but as he studied her he felt his heart breaking at the sight of tears in her eyes which escaped without her knowing.

“Why are you crying?” 

“I cry because I am happy, yet I also cry because I fear for their lives.” After that she refused to speak and so together they sat in silence looking out over the glistening landscape. 


	5. Four

Lycia stretched out her limbs as she waited for the other hunters and wolf-mages. Five months had passed since the death of her father, and now spring was blooming as the last of the snow slowly melted away; birds could be heard chirping in the trees that were starting to become green with their leaves once more, those mares had been selected to breed sometime before were preparing for the coming foals, and Lycia new that soon would be time for the fish to return to the river nearby which meant she and several others would be spending at the least a week at the riverside catching fish alongside. Looking around Lycia felt a strong pair of hands on her shoulders and smiled as she looked to see Cullen smiling down at her. Chunta had invited the Avvar to celebrate this coming spring with them and Thane Asmund had readily accepted as this also meant that soon the wedding between Cullen and Lycia would be announced. To say the Thane was eager to have Lycia around in his hold would be a minor understatement as he had consolidated with the Augur and the Gods of his hold many times over the course of the winter, and they had encouraged this wedding to take place once the winter was over. 

Now as spring bloomed, Lycia and Cullen knew that soon their wedding would be favored by the gods on both sides. The Goddess had already give Lycia her favor and was eager for the Pack and the Avvar Clan to unite as one. Lycia soon snuggled up to Cullen who wrapped his arms around her stomach, and he nuzzled her neck briefly before he released her as she pulled away to shift forms. She felt him study her wolf and looking to him she saw it in his eyes. She was his, and he was hers. He was claiming every inch of her body that he could see with just his eyes alone. Walking back over to him, she nuzzled his hand and he began to pet her fur; as he pet her, he came to realize that her fur, like her hair, was softer than any he had come into contact with thus far and some part of him revealed in the thought that he would soon she would bound to him and him alone. He felt her warm breath tickle along his body but then all grew quiet as all gazes turned skyward where three great birds called forth. Cullen saw the birds and with his eyesight, he noted that one was a falcon from his hold, the other looked to be a strange white-headed bird, and the last was a powerful hawk. Lycia turned to him and flattening her ears as she pressed her forehead against the area where his chest and stomach met; He, in turn, turned to her, knelt down and pressed his forehead against hers for several all too brief moments before she turned and began to follow the other wolf-mages to the river where their traps would have most likely caught fish. They would be gone for several days and nights, and each moment spent away from Lycia felt like an eternity to Cullen. He would return to his Hold to await the Thane’s signal for them to join the spring feast upon the return of Lycia and the others, but still each moment seemed to drag on longer then what seemed normal for the Avvarian man as he just longed to hold Lycia in his arms as she hummed a small unrecognized tune to herself, or to aid her with whatever task was needing to be done. 

Cullen had overheard his Thane and Lycia’s brother talking about the behavior Cullen and Lycia were showing and Chunta had brought it down to one thing: The Goddess of Lycia’s Pack favored the couple and had bound them together in some way. The Thane had agreed with this as he had noted that the gods of the hold had also seemed to favor this future coupling and so after consulting with both gods and Goddess, it had been deemed that Lycia and Cullen would do a mating-bond. A thing that had been (newly) created by both sides to ensure not only the survival of both but also to tighten the unity that was coming from Lycia and Cullen upon being wed (which also took in the consideration of children who would be sired by Cullen from Lycia’s womb). Cullen looked to the sky but then returned to the task at hand as he made sure to sharpen his blade as something told him it would soon be needed. 

****

Lycia looked skyward as the shift in the winds captured her attention. The scar on her muzzle and cheek began to itch and she wondered what it meant until a howl ripped through the air. Howling in return, she raced towards the direction of the other wolf-mage and some part of her knew that battle was soon to come. War was nothing new to her and the pack, in fact, it could be claimed that they almost revealed in it. They were, by nature, a normally peaceful people, but every so often when the other packs, prides and "clans" called for them they would go and join forces with them. War was as much a part of their lives as living in peace was. It was who they were. Lycia caught up to the wolf-mage who had howled and turned her gaze towards the open field. Growling at what she saw was a clear sign of the coming war the Goddess had warned her about, Lycia turned her head to the wolf-mage and nodded before the wolf-mage turned and took off to warn the others. Snarling to herself, Lycia soon turned and made a break for her home where she arrived swiftly to speak with her brother, "Brother." 

Chunta turned to her with curiosity in his eyes, "Lycia? You weren't supposed to return for another week."

"Yes well, seems the "Fereldan King" won't have any of that, his army is camped just beyond the edge of our territory. War is coming, just like the Goddess said it would."

"Time to call to the others then. Seems your wedding to Cullen will have to wait." 

"Which is not something I will enjoy waiting for. But with a war on our doorstep, I will wait." Lycia said as her brother nodded before he turned to Mathelin.

"Send out the birds, War is coming." With that, Mathelin nodded and left the building to do as he had been ordered to. "Lycia, prepare the wolf-mages. I will see to the warriors. We are going to War."


	6. Five

Lycia was crouched and watched the camp of soldiers carefully, she was not the only one as several other animal-mages were in different locations just watching this encampment which had grown as Templars had joined the ranks and Lycia had no love for Templars. She heard a growl and glanced to her left then her right as two other wolf-mages joined her and then she turned to go seek out a place to lay and sleep. She had been wide awake for the past few days and now all she wanted to do was curl up and fall into a deep sleep but she knew she could not; yawning as she found a spot she curled up, closed her eyes and drifted off into a light sleep. She would wake a few hours later to the sound of approaching footsteps and leapt up with a growl resounding deep in her chest until she heard his voice. Shifting back to human she launched herself at the one she had been longing to feel the touch of for the past few weeks and he held her close. “Cullen,” she whimpered as he held her close. _"What are you doing here?"_

_"I came to find you. What is going on?"_

_"We are preparing for war, but we may have to vanish to the winds,"_ As she told him that, Cullen's arms wrapped tightly around her. 

_"Why?"_

_"Lowlander Templars. We who are mages are helpless against their strange powers."_ She whispered as she snuggled close to him. 

_"I won't let them take you."_

_"I know, but the Pack must leave for a while if we are to have any hope of surviving this war."_

_"Let me speak with my Thane. We will find a way to help."_ He told her before he let her go, As she watched him begin to turn, he stopped mid-turn and whipped around, pulled her close and suddenly kissed her. It took her mind several moments to recover but it was as soon as his lips sealed her that her body responded and she was returning the kiss with arms going around his shoulders. Pulling away Cullen looked at her with such gentle care that her heart almost literally melted,  _"You will be safe."_ It was a promise he gave before he turned and left both her and the area behind. 

"I can only hope so." She whispered quietly before she turned and shifted back into wolf form to get some more sleep but her mind and heart were heavy with worry and fear. The days would come and go before Chunta would call for his two youngest siblings to tell them what he was planning and it would take Lycia a bit to get to the longhouse, her dread filled heart seemed to drop even further upon hearing the plan.

"I am afraid we will have to disappear from this place."

"But...Where will we go?" Mathelin questioned as Lycia whimpered in agreement. She was in wolf form and therefore could not speak like they could.

"We must go deeper into the mountains, beyond even where the Avvar can follow." Chunta looked towards Lycia who folded her ears back with another whimper. "I am sorry sister. This is the goddess's will. She still favors your marriage to Cullen, but she has decreed that we must leave for ten years if we are to survive for you two to be wed." Lycia lowered her head and dropped her gaze. "Go prepare the pack. We leave tonight at the midnight hour." Chunta said watching as Mathelin and Lycia left the longhouse to do as they had been bid. Closing his eyes, Chunta turned towards the seat on which he sat and, opening his eyes, he felt something stab at his heart. They were being forced to leave their ancestral home due to the misunderstanding nature of the Fereldan people and their king, thus Lycia's family pack wasn't the only one to be leaving their homelands and when the midnight hour struck, Lycia turned to look back towards the only home she had ever known with sorry written in her eyes and upon her face as she stood, back facing towards her home, while her striking gaze watched as the fires raised the home. One paw was in the air, her tail pointed straight towards the ground and her ears were folded back as she watched it all burn. Whining she turned and began to walk but before long her walk turned into a run and she along with all shapeshifting mages, the warriors and the people of the animal-clans, soon vanished into the night. As Lycia vanished she did not know that Cullen and all hunters and warriors of his clan watched them leave with sorrow upon their faces. Cullen closed his eyes and prayed for Lycia's safety and prayed that they would meet again one day if the gods would allow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: Cullen and Lycia are in their twenties


	7. Six

Ten years would pass and with each passing year, Cullen would find himself staring longingly in the direction of where Lycia's home had once been in. Things in his life seemed so mundane without the prospect of seeing her again, and thus he seemed to work almost absentmindedly, he would listen to the sounds of the animals and anytime a wolf would howl he would take a moment in the hopes that it would be Lycia. But each time it never was the wolf-mage he loved so dearly and now he felt a keen loneliness he hadn't felt before as he finally gave up the hope that the howls would signal her return. To him, it seemed hopeless to try and hope for her return, but as the spring of the eleventh year was finally ushered in with it new life, he felt as if something about this day was _different_ , though he wasn't sure why or what the cause of it was. Looking around he saw the children of the Hold, mostly those who were to young to work, playing; he saw the hunters preparing for a hunt; saw his Thane speaking with a few warriors; yet none of those things were the cause of his sudden awareness, his sudden "awakening" as if he had been slumbering all these years, then he heard it. Straining his ears, the sound was barely like a whisper on the wind but it was there. A howl that was like a cool breeze, a howl he had been yearning to hear for all those years. Cullen looked towards Asmund who looked to the two hunters he had sent out to keep an eye on the Pack's home and they confirmed Cullen's whispering feeling. Lycia and her clan had returned, and now Asmund motioned for Cullen and several others to follow him to welcome back their greatest allies. Cullen was soon astride one of the Clan's horses and he, along with the others, followed Asmund towards Lycia's home; he was eager to see the woman he loved, yet he was also worried that she would not recognize him. Much had happened in the ten years she had been away with her entire clan and he had some new scars to show for it, his latest addition being a scar on his upper lip on the right side, yet something told him that Lycia too would have some new scars to show off. As they arrived at the Pack's home they were greeted warmly by the residents and the Avvar saw that they were acting as if the pack had never left. Before Cullen knew it they were at the Longhouse and were being welcomed by Lycia's eldest brother, Chunta,  who was pleased to see them and Cullen noted that the man now looked almost exactly like the former leader of the Whispering Nightfall Pack. Asmund and Chunta spoke before Chunta spotted Cullen and waved him over, _"I see you have continued to prove yourself in battle."_ Chunta smiled as Cullen nodded.

 _"He has proven himself many times over while you all were away. Tell us, where is Lycia as I am sure she has not been idle while you were away."_ Chunta sighed softly, almost sadly, at that moment.

_"She has not been idle at all, She and several other animal-mages have been busy. We are fewer in number then we would like to be, unfortunately. Three years after we left a terrible sickness swept through the clans and Lycia and many mages have been working with their gifts to heal the sickness. They have saved many but still many have died. Right now Lycia is with the children preparing to tell the tale of our clan with two other mages."_

_"The tale of your Clan?"_

_"Yes, it is a thing we hold sacred to our heart and only the animal-mages can tell the tale to the children for they remember that which we who are Warriors and rogues cannot."_ As he told them that, Asmund and Cullen followed him to where Lycia and another wolf-mage sat behind an elder mage. Cullen scanned Lycia closely, she had a few new scars upon her body and face, yet the wolf-mage on the other side of the elder mage he noted was almost the complete opposite of Lycia with its fur color. Where his Lycia was a glistening ebony with what one could assume to be natural blue highlights to her fur, this other wolf-mage was snowy-white with eyes that were a strange mossy color.

"Gather around children," They heard the elder say as everyone soon gathered to listen to this tale, even the other Avvar were curious to hear this tale. "For I tell you now the story of how the animal-mages and their packs came to be..." And with that, the mage launched into the tale, yet Cullen was distracted by the sight of Lycia sitting proud, ears forward, face calm, and to him was the picture of beauty which could also be savage. He still heard the story, yet he continued to note that Lycia and the strange wolf sat almost statue-like as the story was weaved. All the while, Lycia could feel Cullen's eyes on her but had to resist the urge to look towards him, the story had to continue and soon both she and the other wolf, her cousin, soon closed their eyes, lowered their heads and then at the same time threw their heads skyward and howled before the Elder continued the tale. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the tale as the Elderly mage tells it.


	8. Seven

"Long ago our people lowlands, but because of our views, we were hated for the singular fact that we saw the gifts of our mages as a blessing, not a curse and thus while they caged their mages we allowed ours to roam freely, but back then they did not have the Blessing. The leaders of our many packs and clans saw that we would never be given the same treatment by our jealous brethren and thus in a secret meeting they deemed it better for us to leave and settle in the lands where they would never follow. It was however to our great misfortune that as our ancestors prepared to leave the lands of their birth, they were soon hunted by their former kin and so fled from their homes to another land in the south, a land that was as harsh and as unforgiving as the people they had left behind. For some generations, they stayed there, in those unforgiving lands. Until a single goddess heard their pleas. Our Goddess. She bid our ancestors return, bid them come to the mountains where their children and children's children would prosper and grow and gave them a gift: The Animal forms that our beloved mages use now. She told us that in each pack, there would be born two special colored animals. One would be as dark as the night, with eyes so blue they rivaled the sky itself, and one whose fur itself was a white as the newly fallen snow with eyes the color of the moss upon the oak trees." The woman smiled warmly towards the children while Cullen and the other Avvar listened with interest, "Listen to me now children for before you sit two of those promised animals. Lycia, daughter of our once great leader Chaska, sister of our current Alpha Chunta, and one of our strongest wolf-mages." As the woman turned to Lycia, Cullen watched as Lycia threw her head back and howled. Her howl sent a familiar chill along Cullen's spine, a chill that he had missed and thus couldn't help the small smile as it crossed his face, then they all turned their gazes to the white wolf as the elder spoke, "Heath, son of our huntmaster Adam, and another of our strongest wolf-mages." Cullen could sense the wonder of the children as they watched Lycia and Heath stand, and let his own gaze rake over both; he noted that while Lycia was smaller then Heath by a foot or so, she was slimmer to where he was broader. She was built for speed and he was built for strength, "And both, are promised to Avvarian mates." That was when Cullen turned to Lycia and watched as her eyes met his. He saw the longing to be near him in her eyes, "Remember this children of the Whispering Nightfall Pack. If it were not for the goddess, nor for our Avvar allies, we may not even be here now..." The elder's voice faded away as Cullen kept his focus on Lycia. His Lycia. His wolf-mage.

****

Lycia heard him before she saw him, "You've returned." It wasn't a question, it was a statement but still, she answered.

"I have and I will remain. This time, I will be with you," She said as she turned to face Cullen. His amber eyes glistened as they reflected the light of the moons, and she felt a strange warmth overcome her, but it was a pleasant warmth. She watched him draw closer, yet she was not afraid of him, she had no reason to be afraid of him. Drawing close to her, Lycia had to tilt back her head to keep her gaze locked with his or well she did until he reached up and touched her cheek. 

"I almost lost all hope," he whispered as he studied her, "But it seems you refused to let me," Lycia said nothing as she opened her formerly closed eyes and it was then he did something he had promised himself to wait to do: he kissed her and found her returning the kiss. Whey they pulled away, Lycia looked up into his eyes and he felt his soul being lost in the depths of her sky-colored eyes, "Let us return to them. I no longer want to wait to make you my bride." 

"And I no longer want to wait to be your bride," And together, Lycia and Cullen began the trek back to her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter (if it can be called that) I know, sorry guys muses are away on unpaid vacay. But it's okay I wanted to keep this story short anyways so (a bit of a spoiler here) next chapter is going to be the last chapter. Don't hate me! *runs and hides*


	9. Epilogue

"And you saw all of that in the Fade as a dream?" His voice echoed back to her as Lycia looked towards the entrance to the area she was standing in and saw the one who was speaking to her as he entered. His golden hair was styled back like it had been since the days of the last Inquisition, and his amber-gold eyes met her sapphire blue ones with his love for her made his eyes almost glow as the sun hit them. He stood a good foot taller then Lycia did, but that was understandable as she was only around five-foot-three. 

"Cullen, you know as well as I, that my imagination takes me to many different places, it always has," She told him as the man smirked and shook his head while she leaned against the counter, her own hair was cut o shoulder length and was starting to curl because of the summer heat and he would be damned if he said he didn't enjoy the curls that came out during the summer. "That just happened to be something my imagination drew from out of nowhere."

"Well it certainly was interesting," He told her as he crossed the room in a few strides and began to kiss her, first on the lips then all over as she giggled and tried to escape him as he remembered that she was highly ticklish on her sides.

"Cullen Stanton Rutherford if you dare-AH!" She yelped out in laughter as he pinned her against him and began tickling her. When she could finally get away she shot a playful glare in his direction as he gave her his ungodly smirk that he knew melted her insides. "Asshole." She smiled before she turned away as he laughed. 

"But you still love me!" He called out after her as she left the house to go towards the forest. 

"Your right I do, but your still an asshole!" She called back as she stopped just before the forest and watched him lean against the doorframe with arms crossed. She smiled at him and he returned it before she turned and vanished into the shadows of the trees taking to wolf-form so she could find their son and daughter and drag them home by the scruffs of their necks if needed. Their son looked like the spitting image of his father, though he was a mage and not a warrior, and their daughter was the spitting image of Lycia, but unlike Lycia and her brother, Cullen and Lycia's daughter really was a daddy's girl and was going to be a warrior, maybe not a Templar like her father had been but she was still a warrior and learned everything she could from him. It had been several years since the Inquisition had been disbanded, but as Cullen watched his beloved go chasing after their children he looked to his left as he spotted something: a black colored bird coming his way and frowned.


End file.
